What is the best free remote desktop software?

AnyDesk and TeamViewer both have free personal options. RustDesk is free and open source and lets you run your own servers.

Can I use TeamViewer or AnyDesk for work for free?

Business use needs a paid license for both. AnyDesk's free version is for personal use, and TeamViewer sells business licenses separately from its personal-use product.

Which remote desktop tools can I host myself?

RustDesk and Apache Guacamole run on servers you control, and TigerVNC and TightVNC are software you install and run yourself. Each one requires you to manage network access.

Which remote tools cover both Linux and macOS?

TeamViewer, RustDesk, NoMachine and TigerVNC each list Linux and macOS in the sources checked. TightVNC, Zoho Assist and Parsec also cover Linux and macOS.

Best Remote Desktop Software in 2026: Top 10 Ranked

The ranking

Top pickTeamViewer89.5
Best with a free planAnyDesk88.0
Best open sourceRustDesk87.0

1
TeamViewer
The broadest platform list here, with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and a web app, plus a personal-use product and paid business licenses. Business use needs a paid license, and add-ons are sold separately.
Best for Personal sessions and IT support across mixed systems
WindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidiOSWebFree plan, paid upgrades
89.5of 100
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2
AnyDesk
A remote desktop and support app with a free version for personal use and MSI and Group Policy options for IT. Business use needs a paid license, and its listed platforms are Windows, Android and iOS.
Best for Personal remote access and small IT rollouts on Windows
WindowsAndroidiOSFree plan, paid upgrades
88.0of 100
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3
RustDesk
An open-source remote desktop app for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, with self-hosted servers for full control of connection data. It is free under AGPL-3.0, but you run and secure the server yourself.
Best for Self-hosted remote access with open-source software
WindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidSelf-hostedFree and open sourceOpen source
87.0of 100
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4
Zoho Assist
Cloud remote support and unattended access with a free plan and apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android and Chromebook. Advanced features sit in paid tiers, and pricing is organized around technicians and devices.
Best for Support teams that want a free plan to start
WindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroidChromeOSFree plan, paid upgrades
84.5of 100
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5
NoMachine
A fast remote desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux, with terminal access in recent releases. Its free edition ended with version 10, so the Personal Edition and Network subscription are paid, and a 7-day trial is available.
Best for Fast direct desktop access on Windows, macOS and Linux
WindowsmacOSLinuxPaid
83.5of 100
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6
Parsec
A low-latency remote desktop app with a free Personal Use plan for non-commercial use and paid plans for work. Hosting is listed for Windows and macOS only, so it suits personal and gaming access more than IT support.
Best for Personal and gaming remote access
WindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidWebFree plan, paid upgrades
81.0of 100
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7
Apache Guacamole
A free, open-source gateway that gives browser-based access to desktops through an HTML5 client, under Apache-2.0. You install and maintain the server yourself, so setup is more involved than hosted apps.
Best for Browser access to desktops on a server you run
WebSelf-hostedFree and open sourceOpen source
79.5of 100
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8
Remmina
A free GPL-2.0-or-later remote desktop client for Linux with RDP, VNC, SSH and SPICE in one app. It is a client only, so the computer you connect to needs a server, and it runs on Linux only.
Best for Linux users who connect to Windows and Linux machines
LinuxFree and open sourceOpen source
78.0of 100
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9
TightVNC
Free, GPL-licensed VNC remote desktop software with server builds for Windows, Linux and macOS, and a Windows release from October 2026. It is self-run, so you handle network and firewall setup, and it overlaps with TigerVNC.
Best for Admins who run their own VNC servers
WindowsLinuxmacOSFree and open sourceOpen source
76.0of 100
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10
TigerVNC
A free, open-source VNC server and viewer under GPL-2.0, packaged by major Linux distributions and available for Windows and macOS. It is software rather than a hosted service, so you set up network access yourself.
Best for Open-source VNC access managed by administrators
LinuxWindowsmacOSFree and open sourceOpen source
74.0of 100
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At a glance

Product	Score	Price	Platforms
TeamViewer	89.5	Free plan, paid upgrades	WindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidiOSWeb
AnyDesk	88.0	Free plan, paid upgrades	WindowsAndroidiOS
RustDesk	87.0	Free and open source	WindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidSelf-hosted
Zoho Assist	84.5	Free plan, paid upgrades	WindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroidChromeOS
NoMachine	83.5	Paid	WindowsmacOSLinux
Parsec	81.0	Free plan, paid upgrades	WindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidWeb
Apache Guacamole	79.5	Free and open source	WebSelf-hosted
Remmina	78.0	Free and open source	Linux
TightVNC	76.0	Free and open source	WindowsLinuxmacOS
TigerVNC	74.0	Free and open source	LinuxWindowsmacOS

How to choose remote desktop software

Personal or business: The free tiers of TeamViewer and AnyDesk suit personal use, and business use needs paid licenses for both.
Control of data: RustDesk and Apache Guacamole run on servers you host, so connection traffic can stay on infrastructure you control.
Platforms: TeamViewer covers many systems here, including a web app, while AnyDesk's listed platforms are Windows and mobile.
Cost: RustDesk, Apache Guacamole and TigerVNC are free and open source; NoMachine needs a paid Personal Edition or Network subscription.

What the scores weigh

Ease of setup and access
Platform coverage
Self-hosting and control
Price and license
Business and IT features

Scores are editorial, from 0 to 100, and use these criteria. Full method · Disclosure

About remote desktop software

Remote desktop tools fall into hosted services and software you run yourself. TeamViewer and AnyDesk are hosted products with free personal options and paid business licenses. NoMachine is commercial software whose free edition ended with version 10, so its Personal Edition is paid.

Self-run options give you more control over connections. RustDesk is open source under AGPL-3.0 and can use servers you host, and Apache Guacamole gives browser-based access to machines through a server you run. TigerVNC is an open-source VNC server and viewer under GPL-2.0 that many Linux distributions package.

Platform coverage differs. TeamViewer lists Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and a web app, and AnyDesk lists Windows, Android and iOS in the sources checked. The scores are editorial judgments against the criteria, not measurements.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free remote desktop software?: AnyDesk and TeamViewer both have free personal options. RustDesk is free and open source and lets you run your own servers.
Can I use TeamViewer or AnyDesk for work for free?: Business use needs a paid license for both. AnyDesk's free version is for personal use, and TeamViewer sells business licenses separately from its personal-use product.
Which remote desktop tools can I host myself?: RustDesk and Apache Guacamole run on servers you control, and TigerVNC and TightVNC are software you install and run yourself. Each one requires you to manage network access.
Which remote tools cover both Linux and macOS?: TeamViewer, RustDesk, NoMachine and TigerVNC each list Linux and macOS in the sources checked. TightVNC, Zoho Assist and Parsec also cover Linux and macOS.